Thursday, March 16, 2017

Power Rangers Premier Countdown: 8th Place goes to...

Power Rangers In Space Episodes 42-43: Countdown to Destruction




Why are these episodes some of the best?

Feeling a little bit under the weather today, so let's keep this short and sweet. In a lot of people's minds, this is the best couple of episodes Power Rangers has ever put together. It's dramatic, it's action-packed, it gives proper resolution to most of the characters in the series up until that point....and come on, we get to see Bulk and Skull fight alongside the Power Rangers!

Countdown to Destruction capped off what would come to be referred as "The Zordon Era." (Spoiler Alert.....if you didn't know, Zordon sacrifices himself by way of Andros/Space Red's Spiral Sabre to wipe out all evil in the Galaxy. The resulting "Z-Wave" crushes almost every single villain still let living in our immediate area of Space, and reverts Rita, Zedd and Divatox to human forms.

It is a perfect ending for the season, and really for the series. Being that Power Rangers was almost cancelled, Space was able to go all out and have a really expensive and awe inspiring final wave at the cameras. (The first of many times the series was facing the ax.)

In Space did so well however, that the show was not cancelled, and the rest is history. If you have never seen this episode, it's worth a watch, but don't do it until you watch the whole season.




Why are these episodes not higher up on the list?

These episodes are without a doubt, fantastic. They are not without their problems however:

-The beginning of Part 1 feels really shaky. I'm not sure why exactly, but it feels rushed. I'm fairly sure these episodes were supposed to be longer (maybe even 3 parts) and then that didn't happen....so it could be that. There's a lot that happens in that first little bit and while it's necessary, it hurts my enjoyment of the story just a little bit too much.

-There are a lot of loose ends in these episodes, and we never really see them resolved properly. Andros and Ashley were originally supposed to kiss, but they didn't...and we get that they're together, but we never really see Ashley again past Lost Galaxy...so we don't actually know what kind of future they have.

Why are Rita and Zedd humans? No idea. Divatox we know- she is Demetria's sister with that whole mess from Turbo, but she doesn't get to reunite with her, so it just feels weird.

And then there's the villains that die. Yes, I know, they are evil, but some of them had at that point been more well developed than the rangers. Seeing Rita's gang turned to dust just feels weird somehow. (Especially knowing now that they all survive in Zyuranger.) I get the reasoning for why it was done, it just felt a little hollow; especially since Zordon's death didn't wipe out all evil, just the closest evil. And it also missed Demons....on Earth.

There's just a lot I still want to know about how things went down. Maybe Boom will address it in the comics some day:)


How do these episodes possibly influence the movie?

In Space gave us a little bit more rounding out of the mythology of Power Rangers. The movie is definitely going to take some direction from that, especially the things like Rita being humanoid. There's also just a grandeur that this episode has; there's stakes. And, most importantly of all, Angel Grove feels like a character that is always on the rangers' side.


NOTE: TICKETS ARE OFFICIALLY ON SALE FOR THE POWER RANGERS MOVIE! THE MOVIE OPENS NEXT FRIDAY, MARCH 24th, with THURSDAY SHOWINGS AVAILABLE IN SOME AREAS. 

Head to Fandango and check for theaters in your area!


Tonight (3/16) Elizabeth will be on Jimmy Fallon to promote the show. Check your listings!


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